What Are The Treatment Options For Prostate Cancer
If you have prostate cancer, you will be referred to a specialist and a radiation specialist. The choice of treatment depends on the size, type, growth and spread of the cancer, and your age, general health, symptoms and personal choice. Talk to your doctor to find out the best treatment options for you.
Treatment options for prostate cancer include active surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy , hormone therapy and palliative care.
What To Expect During The Exam
You can get a prostate exam easily and quickly at your doctors office. Generally, for cancer screenings, your doctor will take a simple blood test.
Your doctor might also choose to perform a DRE. Before performing this exam, your doctor will ask you to change into a gown, removing your clothing from the waist down.
During a DRE, your doctor will ask you to bend over at the waist or lie on the exam table in a fetal position, with your knees to your chest. They will then insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum.
Your doctor will feel for anything abnormal, such as bumps or hard or soft areas that might indicate a problem. Your doctor may also be able to feel if your prostate is enlarged.
A digital rectal exam can be uncomfortable, especially if you have hemorrhoids, but isnt overly painful. It will last only a couple of minutes.
A DRE is one of your doctors tools that can help them detect several prostate and rectal problems, including:
- BPH
- prostate cancer
- abnormal masses in your rectum and anus
Your doctor will be able to tell immediately if there are any areas of concern that may warrant further testing.
The results of a DRE exam are either normal or abnormal, but doctors typically rely on several different tests to help them make a prostate cancer diagnosis.
If your doctor feels something abnormal during the DRE, they will probably recommend getting a PSA blood test, if you havent done so already.
- transrectal ultrasound
Key Points About Prostate Cancer
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Preparing For A Prostate Exam
Theres nothing special that you need to do to prepare for a prostate exam. Tell your doctor if you have anal fissures or hemorrhoids, as a DRE may aggravate these conditions.
If you decide to get a prostate cancer screening, your doctor will likely order a blood test, so inform the person drawing your blood if youre prone to dizziness.
Your doctor may ask you to sign a consent form before performing a cancer screening.
Can Anything Be Done For Erectile Dysfunction Caused By Prostate Cancer Treatment
Yes, there are things you can try if you have erectile dysfunction after your prostate cancer treatment. You should keep in mind that the following things will affect your ability to have an erection after your prostate cancer treatment:
- How good your erections were before your treatment
- Other medical conditions you have like high blood pressure or diabetes
- Some types of medicines you may take such as medicines for high blood pressure or antidepressants
- Things you do in your life such as drinking or smoking
- Your age
- The type of prostate cancer treatment you had
It is important that you and your partner speak with your doctor or healthcare team about what you can do. Your doctor or healthcare team will speak with you about what might work best for you if you have erectile dysfunction. It is important that you speak with them since some treatments for erectile dysfunction can affect other medical problems you may have.
Types of treatment for erectile dysfunction include:
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Prostate Cancer Have A Prostate Cancer
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A Change Of Consensus
Previously, it was thought that regular sexual activity plays a role in the development of prostate cancer.
However, an article published in BMJ also claims that frequent ejaculation may be linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer.
Experts from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, examined the association between ejaculation frequency and the risk of prostate cancer.
The research used historical data from various studies involving over 50,000 subjects aged 40 to 75 years from 1986.
These men responded to a series of questionnaires about their health history and known or suspected risk factors for cancer and other chronic illnesses.
Part of the questionnaire included questions about their sexual activities and the frequency of ejaculations.
Among the participants, there were only 1,449 cases of prostate cancer, and only a small percentage of the cases were seen in men who frequently ejaculate during their 40s and 50s. The researchers concluded that frequent ejaculation leads to a decreased risk of prostate cancer.
Renowned urologist Aaron Spitz also supports the association between masturbation and a decreased risk of prostate cancer in older men.
He claims that frequent masturbation for a guy in his later years has a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.
Less interested in sex? This could be why
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Prostate Cancer In Young Men: An Emerging Young Adult And Older Adolescent Challenge
Oregon Health and Science Center, Portland, Oregon
McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, Texas
Corresponding author: Archie Bleyer, MD, Knight Cancer Institute and Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, 2884 NW Horizon Drive, Bend, OR 97703
Oregon Health and Science Center, Portland, Oregon
McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, Texas
Corresponding author: Archie Bleyer, MD, Knight Cancer Institute and Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, 2884 NW Horizon Drive, Bend, OR 97703
In Teens And Young Men Prostate Canceron The Rise
Nick Mulcahy
Prostate cancer incidence in older adolescent and young adult men has increased in most countries, but the cause for the rise is uncertain, according to a new study September 25 in the journal Cancer.
“Men as young as 17 years are experiencing an increasing incidence of carcinoma of the prostate in much of the world,” write an international team of authors, led by Archie Bleyer, MD, Oregon Health and Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute in Portland.
They report that the incidence of prostate cancer has increased in all groups between ages 15 and 40 years and increased globally at a steady rate averaging 2% per year since 1990 .
However, prostate cancer is rare in young men, with incidence rates not rising above about 0.2 cases per 100,000 men until age 35 and being even lower at younger ages, per US data from the last two decades notably, the rate spikes dramatically between ages 35 and 39, approaching 1.8 cases.
However, at age 70, the rate is about 800 per 100,000 men.
Notably, in the United States, young men were > 6 times more likely than older men to have metastatic disease at diagnosis. They also had very poor 5-year survival rates, the study found.
The incidence increase is “disturbing” and the potentially related factors are “poorly understood,” said Suzanne M. Miller, PhD, professor of cancer prevention and control, Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in an email to Medscape Medical News.
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What You Can Do: Screening And Prevention
The American Cancer Society recommends one of the following testing options for all people beginning at age 50:
Tests that find polyps and cancer
- Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years*, or
- Double-contrast barium enema every 5 years*, or
- CT colonography every 5 years*
Tests that primarily find cancer
- Yearly fecal occult blood test **, or
- Yearly fecal immunochemical test **, or
- Stool DNA test , interval uncertain**
* If the test is positive, a colonoscopy should be done.** The multiple stool take-home test should be used. One test done by the doctor is not adequate for testing. A colonoscopy should be done if the test is positive.
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Should I Have A Psa Test
If you have no symptoms of prostate cancer and are thinking about having a PSA test, you should ask your doctor about the risks and benefits.
While some studies suggest PSA reduces mortality on a population basis, the test picks up large numbers of cancers that would have caused no symptoms or harm in the patient. This is known as overdiagnosis. Overdiagnosis of prostate cancer can lead to unnecessary treatments that have side effects such as sexual impotence, urinary incontinence and bowel problems.
It is important to balance the potential benefit of detecting a prostate cancer early against the risk that detection and treatment may not be necessary. Treatment may affect your lifestyle but it may also save your life.
Make your own decision about whether to be tested after a discussion with your doctor. Ensure you get good quality information to make an informed decision.
Screening tests for breast, bowel and cervical cancer can save lives, but there is still confusion around PSA testing for prostate cancer. Find more information here.
Remember, if you have any concerns or questions, please contact your doctor.
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Risk Of A Change In Penis Size Versus Risk Of No Surgery
While a decrease in penis size is an alarming potential side effect of surgery, it is important to remember that prostate surgery is a life-saving surgery for many. The treatment of cancer is the foremost objective, and the potential change in penis size should not outweigh the life-extending benefits of the surgery. Many men diagnosed with prostate cancer go on to live for many years because they chose to treat their cancer.
A frank discussion with a surgeon may go a long way in explaining your individual risk of serious and minor complications as well how successful the surgery will be in terms treatment, cure, lifespan after the procedure, and what can be expected in the weeks, months and years following surgery. Once all of the appropriate information has been provided, an educated decision can be made after weighing the pros and cons of the procedure.
Signs And Symptoms Of Testicular Cancer
Many of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than testicular cancer. A number of non-cancerous conditions, such as testicle injury or inflammation, can cause symptoms a lot like those of testicular cancer. Inflammation of the testicle and inflammation of the epididymis can cause swelling and pain of the testicle. Both of these also can be caused by viral or bacterial infections.
Some men with testicular cancer have no symptoms at all, and their cancer is found during medical testing for other conditions. For instance, sometimes imaging tests done to find the cause of infertility can uncover a small testicular cancer.
But if you have any of these signs or symptoms, see your doctor right away.
If the cancer is small and localized, a doctor may recommend:
Watchful waiting or monitoring
The doctor may check PSA blood levels regularly but take no immediate action.
Prostate cancer grows slowly, and the risk of side effects may outweigh the need for immediate treatment.
Surgery
A surgeon may carry out a prostatectomy. They can remove the prostate gland using either laparoscopic or open surgery.
Radiation therapy
Options include:
Brachytherapy: A doctor will implant radioactive seeds into the prostate to deliver targeted radiation treatment.
Conformal radiation therapy: This targets a specific area, minimizing the risk to healthy tissue. Another type, called intensity modulated radiation therapy, uses beams with variable intensity.
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Black Bean Quinoa Salad With Sundried Tomatoes And Avocado Vinaigrette: A Recipe For Prostate Protection
Giving out a list of prostate cancer-fighting foods is helpful, but I want to take it a step further by combing some of the foods in a prostate protecting recipe. Time to put my chef coat on over my white coat and try to instill some evidence into a recipe.
I love tomatoesI eat them like my grandmother was from Tuscany, not Tuskegee. Aside from my love affair with tomatoes, I put them in them recipe because they are the most-studied source of lycopene. I decided to use sundried tomatoes because sundried tomatoes actually have higher amounts of lycopene than raw ones . Plus, sundried tomatoes add a meaty umami flavor to plant-based dishes. For those who dont work with sundried tomatoes often, taking them out of the jar is only preparation they require. The avocados and avocado oil also serve a specific purpose. A recent study demonstrated that avocados and avocado oil both enhance absorption of lycopene from tomatoes. The classic combination of avocado and tomato makes perfect sense from a taste perspective, but also from a scientific one. The carrots and the red peppers are both additional sources of lycopene. The beans, onions, and garlic add flavor and some extra prostate protection.
Nutrition
Prostate Cancer Incidence By Uk Country
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males in the UK, accounting for 27% of all new cancer cases in males .In females and males combined, prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 14% of all new cancer cases .
Prostate cancer incidence rates rate ) for males are significantly higher than the UK average in England and Wales and significantly lower than the UK average in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
For prostate cancer, there are few established risk factors therefore differences between countries largely reflect differences in diagnosis and data recording.
Prostate Cancer , Average Number of New Cases Per Year, Crude and European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2016-2018
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Foods To Help You Avoid Prostate Cancer
Despite rising prostate cancer rates, there are known prostate-friendly foods to add to your diet which can significantly reduce your cancer risk.
It is worth noting that the month of November is annually dedicated to general mens health issues, but most prominently prostate cancer. Some men participate in No Shave November, where they dont shave in an effort to raise awareness. You can donate to the cause here.
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer among men in the United States. Also, cancer is the second most common type of death in the United States, only behind heart disease.
With that said, a substantial number of cancers, like prostate cancer, are very preventable and can be avoided with changes in diet and lifestyle choices. Astonishingly, according to The World Cancer Research Fund, an estimated third of all cancer cases could have been avoided.
With how unhealthy foods are being marketed to the average food consumer in the United States, you really have to ask yourself if you are doing everything possible to alleviate potential health struggles, for both yourself and family members.
Here are nine foods that you need to add to your diet to help avoid prostate cancer.
1. Tomatoes
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Rare Atypical Prostate Cancers In Very Young Men
One very rare form of prostate cancer, classified as a sarcoma, is typically found in younger men between 35 and 60 years old. This type of cancer makes up less than 0.1 percent of all cases of primary prostate cancer . Sarcomas can infiltrate the soft tissues in the body. These tissues include our muscles and nerves. Since this tissue is essentially everywhere in our body, sarcomas can develop just about anywhere.
Sarcomas can break away from their original locations and spread to the bones or lungs. Two of the more common types of prostate cancer sarcomas are leiomyosarcomas and rhabdomyosarcoma which can affect very young men, including children. The important thing to note however, is that these atypical prostate cancers are incredibly rare.7-9
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How To Check Your Prostate
This article was co-authored by Robert Dhir, MD. Dr. Robert Dhir is a board certified Urologist, Urological Surgeon, and the Founder of HTX Urology in Houston, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, Dr. Dhirs expertise includes minimally-invasive treatments for enlarged prostate , kidney stone disease, surgical management of urological cancers, and mens health . His practice has been named a Center of Excellence for the UroLift procedure, and is a pioneer in non-surgical procedures for ED using his patented Wave Therapy. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Georgetown University and was awarded honors in pre-medical studies, urology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology. Dr. Dhir served as chief resident during his urological surgical residency at University of Texas at Houston / MD Anderson Cancer Center in addition to completing his internship in general surgery. Dr. Dhir was voted Top Doctor in Urology for 2018 to 2019, one of the top three Best Rated Urologists in 2019 & 2020 for Houston Texas, and Texas Monthly has named him to the 2019 & 2020 Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars list.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 11 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,025,150 times.